Bottle carrier

ABSTRACT

An integrally formed bottle carrier for supporting a plurality of bottles by their necks in which the bottles can be locked into and removed from a plurality of uniformly spaced split bottleneck receiving collars, each mounted within an individual frame interconnected with the other individual frames within the confines of an outer frame.

United States Patent Inventor Gerald Erickson P.0. Box 6175, Surfside,Fla. 33154 Appl. No. 73,137

Filed Sept. 17, 1970 Patented Jan. 11, 1972 BOTTLE CARRIER 6 Claims, 2Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 294/87.2, 206/65 E, 294/8728 Int. Cl 865d 71/00 Field of Search294/87.2,

87.28; 206/65 C, 65 E; 220/l02, 106; 248/316 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,803,487 8/1957 Dalton 294/8728 2,996,329 8/1961Glazer... 294/872 3,036,853 5/l962 Glazer 294/872 Primary Examiner- EvonC. Blunk Assistant Examiner.lohnny D. Cherry Attorney-Brumbaugh, Graves,Donohue & Raymond ABSTRACT: An integrally formed bottle carrier forsupporting a plurality of bottles by their necks in which the bottlescan be locked into and removed from a plurality of uniformly spacedsplit bottleneck receiving collars, each mounted within an individualframe interconnected with the other individual frames within theconfines ofan outer frame.

PATENTED m I 1 I912 INVENTOR GERALD ERICKSON BY his ATTORNEYS BOTTLECARRIER This invention relates to an integrally formed bottle carrier ofnovel construction capable of supporting a plurality of bottles by theirnecks.

Bottle carriers of this type have heretofore been proposed, but theygenerally have been unsatisfactory either because they have been tooexpensive for adoption as a single use throwaway device, or because theyhave been incapable of supporting the bottles securely in the desiredspaced-apart relationship. One such bottle carrier which has heretoforebeen proposed is described in the Glazer U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,805, issuedOct. 10, 1961, and discloses an integrally formed bottle carrier inwhich a plurality of open-ended bottleneck receiving collars are mountedto and extend laterally from a single support. That bottle carrier mustbe made excessively rigid to prevent the collars from sagging under theweight of the bottles and becoming accidentally released therefrom.

The bottle carrier of the present invention is of novel constructionwhich can be made inexpensively and still provide a sufficiently rigidstructure which securely supports the bottles in uniform spacedrelationship.

In the novel construction of the bottle carrier of the present inventionthe bottles are supported by uniformly spaced split collars, eachmounted within an individual frame to which the split ends as well asother portions of the collar are connected. The individual frames areall interconnected within a main frame to provide a relatively rigidstructure to which the necks of the bottles can be readily locked andfrom which the bottles can be easily removed. When the bottles arelocked to the bottle carrier they can be readily handled in a neatpackage without danger that the bottles will be accidentally releasedfrom the carrier.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention reference canbe made to the detailed description which follows and to theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the bottle carrier of the present invention;and

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

The bottle carrier construction of the present invention includes acontinuous outer frame subdivided into a plurality of internal frames 11each containing a split collar 12 capable of receiving the neck of abottle to support the bottle from the carrier. The outer frame 10 isshown as having a somewhat sinusoidal shape to conform to theconfiguration of the wide portions of the bottles. However, the outerframe can be rectangular or any other desired configuration.

In the six-pack embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the outer frame10 forms a part of each of the internal frames. For example, the cornerinternal frames are made up of frame elements 11a and 11b extending atright angles to each other, and the remainder of the internal frame isformed by a portion of the outer frame 10. The internal framesintermediate the corners are formed by a frame element 110 connected atone end with the outer frame 10, a spaced-apart parallel frame elementlld, a frame element lle extending at right angles to the elements 11cand 11d and connecting their inner ends, and the portion of the outerframe 10 which connects the elements 1 1c and lid.

The internal frames are also connected by longitudinal connections 13which are curved to provide finger openings 14 to facilitate handling ofthe bottle carrier and by transverse connections 15. If desired, thefinger openings can be replaced by a handle integrally formed with thebody of the carrier.

The split collars 12 are tapered conical sections, larger at the bottomthan at the top to facilitate the insertion of the bottles therein fromthe bottom. Each collar is split to provide an enlarged opening 16, andthe split ends are connected to the respective internal frame by a pairof connections 17 and 18 which taper away from each other in thedirection from the split ends to the portions of the internal frame towhich they are connected. The angular relationship of the connections 17and I8 permits the split collar to be forced open to increase the sizeof the opening 16 while at the same time providing support for the splitcollar to prevent it from sagging under the weight of the bottle andoffering resistance to accidental spreading of the split collar when itis supporting a bottle therein.

In the preferred embodiment of the bottle carrier the collar is alsosplit at the opposite end to provide an opening 19 directly opposite theopening 16. This split end is connected by a yoke 20 which serves as apivot for the two components of the collar, thereby facilitating thespreading of the opposite end of the collar for the insertion andremoval of a bottleneck.

The yoke 20 and each of the collar sections are supported within therespective internal frame by a plurality of connections 21.

The bottle carrier is preferably molded in one piece of a relativelyinexpensive, rigid, flexible material, such as linear or high-densitypolyethylene. A relatively small amount of material will produce arelatively rigid construction in which the split collars will not sagunder the weight of the bottles. The bottle carrier, therefore, providesan efi'ective, economical and neat package for bottles which can bedisposed of after a single use.

The invention has been shown in a single preferred form and by way ofexample only and many modifications and variations may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention,therefore, is not to be limited to any specified form or embodimentexcept insofar as such limitations are expressly set forth in theclaims.

I claim:

1. An integrally formed bottle carrier made of relatively rigid flexiblematerial comprising a plurality of uniformly spaced split collars forreceiving and supporting therein the necks of bottles, an individualframe around and spacially separated from each split collar and withinwhich the respective split collar is mounted, means interconnecting theindividual frames, means connecting each of the split ends of the collarto the individual frame to lend support to the split ends whilepermitting them to be freely spread apart to receive the neck of abottle, a plurality of means connecting other portions of the collar toportions of the individual frame, and an outer frame within whichconfines all of the individual frames are accommodated.

2. A bottle carrier as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer frameforms at least a part of each individual frame and wherein at least oneportion of each of the bottleneck receiving collars is connecteddirectly to the outer frame.

3. A bottle carrier as set forth in claim 1 in which the meansconnecting the split ends of each collar to the individual frameincludes a pair of connections which are directed away from each otherin a direction from the split ends to the portions of the individualframe to which they are connected to prevent sagging of the split endswithin the individual frame and to resist separation of the split endswhile at the same time permitting such separation.

4. A bottle carrier as set forth in claim 1 in which each split collartapers upwardly so that the bottom is wider than the top to facilitateentry of the bottle into the collar from the bottom of the collar.

5. A bottle carrier as set forth in claim 1 including a second split ineach collar forming a separation and a yoke connecting said second splitwith the individual frame and serving as a pivotal connection for thespreading and contraction of the collar sections.

6. A bottle carrier as set forth in claim 1 including means integrallyformed with the carrier to permit the carrier and the bottles lockedtherein to be gripped and carried.

1. An integrally formed bottle carrier made of relatively rigid flexiblematerial comprising a plurality of uniformly spaced split collars forreceiving and supporting therein the necks of bottles, an individualframe around and spacially separated from each split collar and withinwhich the respective split collar is mounted, means interconnecting theindividual frames, means connecting each of the split ends of the collarto the individual frame to lend support to the split ends whilepermitting them to be freely spread apart to receive the neck of abottle, a plurality of means connecting other portions of the collar toportions of the individual frame, and an outer frame within whichconfines all of the individual frames are accommodated.
 2. A bottlecarrier as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer frame forms at least apart of each individual frame and wherein at least one portion of eachof the bottleneck receiving collars is connected directly to the outerframe.
 3. A bottle carrier as set forth in claim 1 in which the meansconnecting the split ends of each collar to the individual frameincludes a pair of connections which are directed away from each otherin a direction from the split ends to the portions of the individualframe to which they are connected to prevent sagging of the split endswithin the individual frAme and to resist separation of the split endswhile at the same time permitting such separation.
 4. A bottle carrieras set forth in claim 1 in which each split collar tapers upwardly sothat the bottom is wider than the top to facilitate entry of the bottleinto the collar from the bottom of the collar.
 5. A bottle carrier asset forth in claim 1 including a second split in each collar forming aseparation and a yoke connecting said second split with the individualframe and serving as a pivotal connection for the spreading andcontraction of the collar sections.
 6. A bottle carrier as set forth inclaim 1 including means integrally formed with the carrier to permit thecarrier and the bottles locked therein to be gripped and carried.